There have been made many suggestions regarding cervical vertebra protective bands used for the purpose of the treatment of cervical disorders. For example, as a belt-like protective band body having a length and a width for surrounding substantially the entire of the cervical portion of a user, the following are suggested: one capable of adjusting the size of the length and/or the width thereof in accordance with the cervical diameter and/or the cervical height of the user, thereby improving stability and fitness in use (Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Sho 44-12702, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 50-63787, and Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Hei 06-12746); one constituted by a size-adjustable collar member and a cover for covering the collar member, being lightweight, having a stiffness sufficient for supporting the cervical portion, and providing excellent wearing comfort at the cervical portion (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-25480); one constituted by a laminated body in which a core member is formed of a shape-maintaining material (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-305388); and one not only being size-adjustable, but also provided with preferable ventilation (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-27898).
Each of the cervical vertebra protective bands as described above supports the weight of the head of the user so as to relieve the load applied to the cervical portion, thereby protecting the cervical vertebra. Thus, the protective band body thereof is made of a relatively stiff material having flexibility, such as a synthetic resin plate, a synthetic resin foam, foam rubber, or a mesh plate. Further, the cervical vertebra protective band is premised on the constant use by the user during treatment. Therefore, even when the cervical vertebra protective band is size-adjustable, it is a common practice for the user to adjust the size of the cervical vertebra protective band in conformity with the cervical portion of oneself so as to maintain, after the adjustment, the state thereof until the end of the treatment.
However, the user of the cervical vertebra protective band as described above is not limited to a relatively seriously-ill patient who is necessary to constantly wear the cervical vertebra protective band under the supervision of a doctor during treatment. Various examples of the user include a mildly-ill patient, a patient almost recovered and wearing the cervical vertebra protective band only in the case where a load is likely to be applied to the cervical portion, a person not wearing the cervical vertebra protective band on the way to workplace but wearing the same at workplace and home, and a person wearing the cervical vertebra protective band only in the case of driving a vehicle or being seated in a vehicle. It is a common practice for those users to handle the cervical vertebra protective band, that is, to wear the same when necessary and to take off and preserve the same.
Meanwhile, it is a common practice for each of the cervical vertebra protective bands which have been suggested and commercially available to be formed in a belt-like shape so as to attain a developed state in which the protective band body thereof has the length and the width (normally, length: 45 to 60 cm and width: 6 to 10 cm) sufficient for surrounding substantially the entire of the cervical portion of each of the large number of users, or to be formed in a looped shape in advance while having the length and the width sufficient for surrounding substantially the entire of the cervical portion of each of the large number of users. The cervical vertebra protective bands are excessively bulky and inconveniently portable.
Regarding any of those conventional cervical vertebra protective bands, focus is exclusively placed on enhancing the cervical vertebra protective function such as restriction of the movement of the cervical vertebra of a patient under treatment or prevention of direct transmission and application of some action including the weight of the head and an impact to the head to the cervical vertebra of the patient under treatment, and on improving the wearing comfort such that the attachment to the cervical portion for a long period of time is not painful. Meanwhile, no attempt has been made to improve the portability thereof in terms of use condition of the user.
In this context, in order to impart the portability to each of the cervical vertebra protective bands as described above, it is possible to design the protective band body thereof to be easily deformed by imparting a predetermined flexibility thereto such that the protective band body is folded several times into a smaller size or curved so as to exhibit a smaller diameter. However, when the protective band body is imparted with the flexibility so as to be easily deformed, the compressive resistance strength of the protective band body is decreased. When the weight of the head is applied to the cervical portion, for example, in the state of a forward inclined posture, the protective band body is easily deformed in some cases, with the result that the cervical vertebra cannot be sufficiently protected.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Sho 44-12702
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 50-63787,
Patent Document 3: Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Sho 61-18893
Patent Document 4: Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Hei 06-12746
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-25480
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-305388
Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-27898